Dunkin' Donuts on how to piss off your franchisees

[Durandal]

Long story short, some racist cunt (Michelle Malkin) says that a scarf in a Dunkin' Donuts ad looks "too Arab", and Dunkin Donuts, fearing reprisal from the racist segment of their customer-base, pulls the ad ... which depicts a white woman whose name is "Rachel Ray", wearing a v-neck, for Christ's sake. These people can seriously see "jihad" anywhere.

Dunkin Donuts Pulls Ad Featuring Rachael Ray In A Scarf That Looks Too Arab

Dunkin Donuts has pulled a commercial featuring pitchwoman Rachael Ray wearing a scarf because Michelle Malkin and other conservative observers thought the scarf looked too much like a keffiyeh, what Malkin describes as "the traditional scarf of Arab men that has come to symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad."

The Boston Globe reports that Dunkin Donuts caved to pressure from the conservative blogosphere — and the fear of a mass boycott — and removed the ad:

The company at first pooh-poohed the complaints, claiming the black-and-white wrap was not a keffiyeh. But the right-wing drumbeat on the blogosphere continued and by yesterday, Dunkin' Donuts decided it'd be easier just to yank the ad.

Said the suits in a statement: ''In a recent online ad, Rachael Ray is wearing a black-and-white silk scarf with a paisley design. It was selected by her stylist for the advertising shoot. Absolutely no symbolism was intended. However, given the possibility of misperception, we are no longer using the commercial.''

Malkin praised the decision in her column, writing,

It's refreshing to see an American company show sensitivity to the concerns of Americans opposed to Islamic jihad and its apologists. Too many of them bend over backward in the direction of anti-American political correctness....

Fashion statements may seem insignificant, but when they lead to the mainstreaming of violence -- unintentionally or not -- they matter. Ignorance is no longer an excuse. In post-9/11 America, vigilance must never go out of style.

Malkin has previously lauded Dunkin Donuts for its support of immigration laws.

[weemadando]

I will no longer buy my FREEDOM-nuts from Dunkin' Donuts and instead will get them from some good, wholesome supplier that doesn't HATE AMERICA.

With that out of the way, I saw this earlier today and thought: "What now? I'll be arrested by FBI agents for using similarly patterned tea-towels in my kitchen?"

[CaptainZoidberg]

The company has the right to make products and advertisements that reflect the culture values of their consumer base.

It's a huge leap of logic to go from that to the government giving preferential treatment to one culture. (Btw, is there a wood for culturalist, i.e. racist but discriminating by culture).

[Enigma]

I don't give a rat's ass about Dunkin Donuts. We no longer have them here in Ottawa because of the crappy conditions in their shops. Tim Hortons for me, thank you very much.

As for the OP, DD is looking at their bottom line first and common sense last.

[The Spartan]

Dunkin... Donuts... is a Muslim... sympathizer... organization... because Rachel Ray... wore a paisley scarf...

I knew Malkin was a batshit crazy, poison Kool Aid drinking cunt (to say nothing of the legions of dipshits that follow her and her ilk) but, I mean, really?

[The Yosemite Bear]

where have you been since 1996 common sense doesn't exist anymore, you just have sheep, and people who repeat lies.

[aerius]

I wonder when they'll ban Little Red Riding Hood since her hood could definitely be mistaken for a keffiyeh.

[The Yosemite Bear]

Lets not forget her story is techniclly illegal under current obscenity laws, because of certain child exploitation overtones. (little girl in chains, until she wears out the chains, sent to grannies, joins wolf in bed, etc)

[DPDarkPrimus]

The less of Rachael Ray on television, the better.

[General Zod]

The company has the right to make products and advertisements that reflect the culture values of their consumer base.

How the hell does anyone associate cultural value of any kind to fucking donuts? I guarantee if they pulled an ad because someone made a stink over somebody having an afro who looked "too black", they'd be facing all sorts of shit from the ACLU. But Muslims are "in vogue" to hate lately, I hear.

[Kanastrous]

I think I can imagine a linkage between a food like donuts (sugary, fattening, nutritionally useless, prone to enhancing aggressive and attention-deficient behavior) and "average" American cultural values.

[General Zod]

I think I can imagine a linkage between a food like donuts (sugary, fattening, nutritionally useless, prone to enhancing aggressive and attention-deficient behavior) and "average" American cultural values.

"Imagine" being the key word here.

[Kanastrous]

I think I can imagine a linkage between a food like donuts (sugary, fattening, nutritionally useless, prone to enhancing aggressive and attention-deficient behavior) and "average" American cultural values.

"Imagine" being the key word here.

Still an "association," per your post.

[Darth Wong]

The company has the right to make products and advertisements that reflect the culture values of their consumer base.

Of course they have the right. It's just a sad statement on American culture that this kind of xenophobic bullshit actually has enough political power to make this happen.

It's a huge leap of logic to go from that to the government giving preferential treatment to one culture. (Btw, is there a wood for culturalist, i.e. racist but discriminating by culture).

This argument would have some validity if this were in fact the only basis for such a declaration. But it is not, unless you just haven't been paying attention. The Bush Administration does have an agenda to give preferential treatment to the Judeo-Christian religion, and they've proven it in many ways.

[MKSheppard]

Basically, the kaffiyeh has become this generations version of the iconic Che Guevara image of the sixties. Young clueless, hipsters wear it because it looks "cool".

NYT Article on the controversy surrounding it from last year

[MKSheppard]

These people can seriously see "jihad" anywhere.

Considering that the kaffiyeh is seen in a lot of places as the symbol of the "Palestinian" cause; well it's not surprising.

BTW, these are the current gang colors.

Black and White: Fatah
Red and White: Hamas.

[General Zod]

Still an "association," per your post.

Uh. . . .

Main Entry:
2as·so·ciate Listen to the pronunciation of 2associate
Function:
adjective
Date:
14th century

1 : closely connected (as in function or office) with another 2 : closely related especially in the mind 3 : having secondary or subordinate status <associate membership in a society>

Not really. Try again without needing to stretch so much.

[Kanastrous]

2 : closely related especially in the mind

Do we *really* have to descend into tossing dictionary snippets back-and-forth?

Fuck it, you win, whatever it is you think you're competing for, here.

[General Zod]

2 : closely related especially in the mind

Do we *really* have to descend into tossing dictionary snippets back-and-forth?

Fuck it, you win, whatever it is you think you're competing for, here.

My whole point is that it's not closely related if you have to make leaps in logic to explain a connection. But apparently you think this is an ultra-serious debate or something.

[Kanastrous]

Uh-huh. Like our conversation where I flippantly made a crack about booby-traps in stolen computers, was an ultra-serious debate - because it suited you, at the time, to behave as though it were, for whatever reason you chose to do so.

Anyway, fine, you win, victory is yours, can we drop it, because I'm done with the bullshit. I'm watching you do a victory boogie atop a pile of your enemies' corpses (presumably, from somewhere within the pile).

Hosanna, hosanna.

[General Zod]

Uh-huh. Like our conversation where I flippantly made a crack about booby-traps in stolen computers, was an ultra-serious debate - because it suited you, at the time, to behave as though it were, for whatever reason you chose to do so.

Anyway, fine, you win, victory is yours, can we drop it, because I'm done with the bullshit. I'm watching you do a victory boogie atop a pile of your enemies' corpses (presumably, from somewhere within the pile).

Hosanna, hosanna.

What bullshit? You brought up a lame point, I countered, then you threw a tantrum when I disagreed with you. If you can't handle a simple rebuttal maybe you should stay out of N&P. The fact that you seem to have a sore spot over a several week-old thread I barely remember is hilarious though.

[SirNitram]

Basically, the kaffiyeh has become this generations version of the iconic Che Guevara image of the sixties. Young clueless, hipsters wear it because it looks "cool".

NYT Article on the controversy surrounding it from last year

Shredded scarfs signs of TERRRORISTS!!!!!!!

But who do the shredded jeans show signs of?

This level of paranoia is truly laughable.

[Darth Wong]

Typically, the kind of person who thinks a checkered scarf is a dangerous promotion of jihadism is also, ironically enough, the kind of person who thinks that a Confederate flag is harmless.

[Illuminatus Primus]

Basically, the kaffiyeh has become this generations version of the iconic Che Guevara image of the sixties. Young clueless, hipsters wear it because it looks "cool".

NYT Article on the controversy surrounding it from last year

Except unlike Che Guevara, its worn for purely aesthetic reasons, not political ones. Except those overlaid by insane right wingers.

[Darth Lucifer]

Malkin has previously lauded Dunkin Donuts for its support of immigration laws.

That's pretty goddamn ironic and funny when you take into account that, by her very own definition, Malkin herself is an "anchor baby".

I hope she chokes on a donut.